The political situation on the Continent is tumultuous, and the previously inconspicuous Falcon Kingdom has suddenly gathered attention from all sides.
The last time they enjoyed such attention was when the Rebel Army killed the King.
If they had faltered even slightly, the Falcon Kingdom would have become history.
Fortunately, they reacted quickly, promptly supporting Princess Marisol to the throne, swiftly quelling the domestic rebellion, without giving any "neighbors" the chance to capitalize.
The power reshuffle caused by the civil unrest created an opportunity for subsequent reforms in the Falcon Kingdom.
The old Nobles weren’t fools; they opposed the emerging nobility’s proposal for free trade only because they had no control over the discourse.
After the internal conflicts ended, the Noble Consortium, led by the three major families, not only annexed the emerging nobility’s factories but also inherited their overseas trade routes.
No one would turn away from profit; once the benefits were in their hands, everyone suddenly became enlightened.
Thanks to the huge profits, the former Conservative Faction became the new reformists. Learning from previous failures, the subsequent reforms progressed very smoothly.
After the Earth Core race’s invasion, the Falcon Kingdom fully leveraged its maritime trade advantages, acting as the logistical support for warring nations and incidentally earning a small fortune.
After witnessing the large appetite of two major financiers, any country with a choice began to seek new benefactors.
With a relatively well-filled treasury, the Falcon Kingdom soon caught the eyes of many countries, becoming a desirable ally.
"Eighteen countries in total have submitted loan applications to us. What are your thoughts?"
Queen Marisol asked nonchalantly.
Due to the Royal Family’s weakened power, she, as the Queen, had always been in a vulnerable position, with court politics basically controlled by the three major families.
As Queen Marisol, she was often just a figurehead.
Seemingly resigned to her fate, when handling state affairs, Queen Marisol had grown accustomed to throwing the questions to her ministers.
Their decisions became her opinions, and during endless arguments, she played the peacemaker, maintaining an uninvolved stance.
This approach was very effective; the Queen’s detachment was precisely what the Major Nobles wanted to see, and the cooperation between the two sides was very seamless.
"Your Majesty, with so many countries facing funding gaps, our Kingdom alone certainly can’t handle it all.
Moreover, many of these countries are seen as easy targets by the Frank people and Iberian people, making the risk of snatching food from the tiger’s mouth too great.
Currently, there aren’t many countries truly suitable for our intervention.
There’s more demand than supply, so we’ll see what terms they offer. New ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄhapters are published on n0velfire.net
Personally, I prefer providing loans to coastal countries, and these countries can’t be too weak!"
Duke Karol replied with a smile.
This issue had already been discussed in private, and now it was just a matter of following procedures in the open.
In recent years, the Falcon Kingdom has developed well, but compared to the three great powers, they are still far behind in terms of military strength.
Aside from the distant Alpha Kingdom, which can be ignored, the Frank Empire and Iberia Kingdom are only separated by a sea from them.
Offending any one of them casually is enough of a problem, let alone provoking both at the same time.
Under such a background, the best partners for the Falcon Kingdom are the Five Nations Alliance, followed by a few major countries on the South Continent.
As for a bunch of small countries, they’re just there to make up the numbers.
Only large countries can withstand international pressure and stand with them.
Merely meeting political needs is not enough; repayment ability must also be considered. Countries like the bankrupt Moxi Duchy are on the credit blacklist.
Top powers like the Alpha Kingdom are also not good partners.
Normally, a financier holds more power in negotiations, but this doesn’t apply when dealing with a strongman.
A small loan can strengthen relations, but a huge debt transforms the relationship so that the debtor becomes the master.
After several cuts, the number of viable partners is actually not many.
"Duke, pay attention to maintaining balance. The Kingdom is at a critical stage of rapid development; we can’t make too much noise!"
Queen Marisol gently warned.
The Frank people and Iberian people dare to demand that countries open their doors because their strength is sufficient to handle any sudden situations.
The same thing, if placed on the Falcon Kingdom, their fragile body simply can’t bear it.
After all, there is such a trick in the world called "the appearance of compliance while actually defying."
Doing business on someone else’s turf, with just a little interference, can turn previous promises into scrap paper.
The most suitable approach for the Falcon Kingdom now is to cut the meat with a soft knife, rather than forcibly invading someone else’s home for plunder.
"Rest assured, Your Majesty!
We don’t have their appetite and wouldn’t dare treat several great kingdoms as food.
For specific loan conditions, let the borrowing countries propose first; whoever offers the highest gets prioritized cooperation."
The international scene is an ever-changing undercurrent, with more and more countries getting involved, and the internal mediation conference of the Alpha Kingdom has also drawn to a close.
In fact, instead of calling this a mediation meeting, it’s better described as a ceasefire meeting between the two factions.
There is no tenderness in political struggles; losing means accepting the outcome.
The Conservative Faction won a great victory in the struggle, gaining more discourse power in the court, which was entirely logical.
As the losers, they hand over their power, recalling their children from official positions at court, to return home and wait for the next opportunity.
Noble-style struggles never conclude in a short time; the political confrontations between several families can last for hundreds of years,